Justin Magnus (standard:romance, 1134 words)
Author: Cyrano	Added: Aug 28 2015	Views/Reads: 2268/1543	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Thinking about writing a novel...1st draft beginning

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story


“Reference?” Katie queried. 

“Dad was kidnaped off the Oban ferry. When the police searched it, a
couple of days later, they found a handkerchief with his embroidered 
initials. The police asked if I knew what the ink marks might be? It 
didn't immediately come to me. The truth is I wasn't sure. The more I 
looked, the less sure I was. But then, for some reason, I started to 
imagine him writing those marks. I came up with the initials: SDU.” 

“And so?” 

“We're here, Katie. SDU is the code for Santos Dumont Airport.” 

“It's also the initials of the ‘Special Duties Unit' an elite Chinese
paramilitary tactical unit of the Chinese police force.” 

“It is?” 

“Yes,” she answered. 

In the past, Katie had felt sorry for Justin, for herself, and for the
world. She knew her feelings had been true, denying them, however, was 
the only way to protect her secret. For the few months, they'd dated, 
just a fun relationship. She'd ached to tell him all she felt, but 
knew, deep down, he was a cavalier. If she were to have dared herself 
to love him, and he failed her, she would fall apart. 

After leaving the airport, the two traveled in a cab ten miles down the
coast, to the Copacabana Palace. They checked in then separated to 
their respective rooms to freshen up. Meeting again for dinner. 

Justin Magnus had first met four years earlier. He was looking for
someone with editorial experience to edit his books. Frank Lassiter, 
his father's editorial assistant had retired but referred Katherine 
Robinson as someone to consider. She had agreed to meet at his home in 
Marin County, but she wasn't prepared to meet with him until she'd done 
her research and read his books. She also wanted to understand more 
about the very public wars between him and his famous father, Dr. 
Richard Magnus. 

It had turned eight o'clock when Katie left the hotel room and headed
toward the restaurant. Justin, seated at the outside bar, didn't at 
first notice her approaching. When he did, the hem of her light-blue 
cotton dress chased and fluttered in the cooling sea breeze, 
occasionally billowing to reveal a glimpse of thigh. Katie Robinson 
glowed with sensual awareness. There were cliffs behind them, seabirds 
wading in moonlight, and the ocean calling out, but she was not about 
to let herself fall for this man all over again. Justin stood, 
courteously, and summoned the attention of the barman. Her appearance, 
the way she walked, the hair that fell on her back, all reminders of a 
time when their working relationship had become something else. 
Something they had since lost. They'd never had sex. It wasn't that she 
didn't want intimacy, but the man she would eventually allow to come 
that close would know her secret. 

Justin had seldom felt her beauty in his chest. She was beautiful,
stunning really. A softly tanned California beauty, elegant in her 
dress style, modest in showing herself, her shape, leaving just enough 
bare skin to interest, not flaunt.


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